Myth: Within months of its publication, 120,000 copies (or 100,000 or 150,000 or 500,000) of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense were sold in the rebellious colonies. Busted: Although the pamphlet circulated widely and certainly made its mark, only scant print records and no sales records survive, so we simply do not know how many copies were […]
Dear Mr. History: What’s the story on Nathan Hale? Like countless American schoolchildren, I was taught that he was executed for spying and said “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” A spy who gets caught seems like a dubious distinction to me. Was Hale an effective spy? […]
One of the genuine pleasures of research is the discovery of someone whose contributions are barely noticed in classroom histories, but without whom, events would have turned out dramatically differently. The Spanish Governor-General of Louisiana, Bernardo de Gálvez, is one such figure. His energetic and often brilliant contributions to the American Revolution ensured that the […]
For the enhanced e-version of Reporting the Revolutionary War, I filmed interviews with several of the book’s historian contributors. My questions covered a lot of ground, including military strategy, print culture, politics, health, logistics, etc. We finished with 100+ video segments totaling more than five hours of Q&A. Frequently, our conversations went off on tangents […]
There are countless reasons why and how people do things for amusement. But, in Colonial America there were at least three reasons that influenced what people did for fun: social standing, location and gender. Social class had a significant affect as wealthy planters were able to amuse themselves with more expensive forms of entertainment than […]
In late May 1775, the Scots-Irish settlers of remote Mecklenburg County, in the Carolina backcountry, received news by express messenger of the Battles of Lexington and Concord that had occurred a month earlier. As one local militia leader named John McKnitt Alexander recalled, “We smelt and felt the Blood & carnage of Lexington, which raised […]
Cannon boomed 13 rounds and the stylishly dressed citizens of Annapolis, Maryland, swarmed into the streets. General George Washington was arriving, accompanied by only two aides. The next day, Washington wrote to Thomas Mifflin, the president of Congress, informing him of his desire to resign his commission as commander in chief. The president read Washington’s […]
Dear Mr. History: What is the true impact and legacy of the “Green Mountain Boys” and their commander, Colonel Ethan Allen? Some say they were an important colonial militia; others have called them a pack of wild, hard-drinking mountain men. While still others say that Allen was really a half-crazy, obnoxious, blowhard who should share […]
In all times and places, people have engaged in trade, and the American Colonies during the time of the Revolution are no exception. Although some trade was conducted as barter, particularly for commodities such as tobacco or beaver pelts, it was common for people to use coins (of nearly any country – Spanish dollars were […]
Instead of working out plans for a peacetime army, in 1783 Congress ordered General George Washington to discharge the remaining regiments in the service, retaining only token garrisons at Fort Pitt to guard the western frontier and West Point, where the army’s artillery and ammunition were stored. This was an extremely unwise decision; the British […]
Myth: Thomas Jefferson found the ideas for the Declaration of Independence “from deep within himself.” (Joseph Ellis, American Sphinx.) Busted: Not according to Jefferson. The “the object of the Declaration of Independence,” he wrote, was “not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had […]
Because the heat was oppressive, and perhaps because the dinner and drink sat heavy in his gut, John Jouett Jr. curled up beneath the great elm in the yard at Cuckoo Tavern to catch a few winks.[1] Despite the revelry droning on in the background, “Jack,” as his friends called him, was soon fast asleep. […]
Nearly everyone loves a dog. This is especially true of soldiers to whom a dog is a friendly reminder of home, a companion and distraction from the day to day life. Regrettably, these furry friends have been lost in the mists of time. A few however can still be glimpsed, although dimly, doing what dogs […]
Our second month since launch was equally educational and entertaining with outstanding contributions by several new authors, including Pamela Murrow, Taylor Stoermer, Ray Raphael, Scott Syfert, Samuel A. Forman, and Don N. Hagist. The Journal also featured works from returning contributors Hugh T. Harrington, Michael Schellhammer, Todd Andrlik, and David Lee Russell. If it isn’t […]
During my recent book tour, the Stamp Act riot part of my talk generated the loudest audience reactions so I thought I’d re-purpose what I call the “Stamp Act riot to-do list” for readers of the Journal of the American Revolution. In late 1765 and early 1766, protests against the stamp duty took place throughout […]
Colonial Americans loved their rum – and their port, and their Madeira, and their beer. Many of them were confident that alcohol could cure the sick and make life ever more cheerful, being used as both a beverage and, in moderation, a medicine. Even the father of our country, George Washington, owned a distillery at […]
In the center of the Botetourt Gallery at the Swem Library of William & Mary stands a curious statue, one that time and torment has rendered barely recognizable as the figure of Norborne Berkeley, Baron de Botetourt, one of the last royal governors of Colonial Virginia. The inscriptions on its sides capture the laudatory views […]
Americans, even Americans who enjoy studying the American Revolution, don’t know much about the British soldiers. While British officers have left some written accounts of themselves and their experiences the private soldiers’ left very, very little. Don Hagist has filled the knowledge void for the private soldier as well as it can be filled. Personal […]
Dear Mr. History: The recent article on this site by Hugh Harrington about the 10 best Revolutionary War films got me thinking – if Hollywood was making such movies today, who, from the current Academy Award nominees, could play some of the famous characters of the era? Sincerely, California Dreaming Dear Dreaming: Glad you asked, […]
Published in 1976 but currently available in an electronic version via Amazon and Barnes and Noble. This is historical fiction at its finest. The setting, characters and history are all very well developed. The reader is drawn into the Revolutionary War as experienced by a family and their neighbors as they are forced to take […]
Myth: Americans did not formally resolve for independence until 1776. Busted: On October 4, 1774, the town meeting of Worcester, Massachusetts, declared that British rule was over and it was time to form a new government, not answerable to the Crown and Parliament. This act by a public body was twenty-one months before Congress approved […]
This book is must reading for anyone interested in the American Revolution. It is by far the best account written by a private soldier. Some officers wrote about their experiences but few private soldiers writings survive. The book was first published by Martin in 1830 with the title A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, […]
Except outside of historical circles, Revolutionary War figures are not widely known, and are even more rarely celebrated. There are the ones you would expect, like George Washington, Nathanael Greene or (on the British side) Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. More obscure characters usually remain that way – obscure. They certainly don’t gain fame centuries later […]
YouTube is synonymous with Gangnam Style, Giant Double Rainbows and the Evolution of Dance, but not the American Revolution, right? Wrong. When it comes to fun and funny videos about the Revolution era, YouTube has a surplus of choices. I’m not talking about Yale’s American Revolution course, classic School House Rock episodes, crazy mash-ups of […]
When researching the biography of Revolutionary War hero Dr. Joseph Warren, I had the unexpected pleasure of becoming acquainted with his fiancée Miss Mercy Scollay. Readers of the Journal of the American Revolution may already be familiar with Joseph Warren as the author of the foundational Suffolk Resolves, head of the Massachusetts Committee of Safety […]
The American Revolution is quite obviously a very broad topic. It would require a huge quantity of books, even watered down to the “essentials,” to adequately cover all facets of the war. The hypothetical library would have to contain volumes on politics, biographies of major and minor players, continent-wide strategies, battles, tactics, equipment and supply. […]
Myth: The American Revolution started at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Busted: All of contiguous Massachusetts – except Boston! – cast off British rule in a revolution that swept through the countryside more than half a year earlier, from August to October, 1774. On September 6, 1774, at dawn and through the morning, […]
Dear Mr. History: I often hear that John Adams estimated that one-third of Americans supported the Revolution, one-third opposed it, and one-third was neutral. That doesn’t seem right to me. Does that mean that the Loyalist and Patriot efforts were about equal? Was Adams correct in this? Sincerely, One-third Skeptical Dear One-Third: Don’t hang your […]
Ask any Civil War or Rev War buff to name one modern day historical artist and chances are Don Troiani will come to mind first. Straight from the bio: “While there are other painters who have turned their attention to historical art, none have done so with the enthusiasm, insight and historical accuracy of this […]
When any reader is new to a subject it often is hard to know where to start. Once underway studying the American Revolution the sky’s the limit as far as breadth and depth of research is concerned. It’s a lifetime endeavor that has given me a great deal of pleasure as well as some understanding […]
Transportation in the eighteenth century was a major factor in the growth of economic activity in the colonial period. The most common transportation of the day, and the fastest, was by horseback. As reported in 1779, a Whitmel Hill rode from Philadelphia to his home in Martin County, North Carolina in seven and one-half days. […]
1 // They were volunteers The British Army was not allowed to force men into service by conscription or impressment. When the war began, men in the ranks had all enlisted voluntarily. For a period in 1778 and 1779 impressment was legalized in specific circumstances but this unpopular measure was soon discontinued and contributed few […]
Who can call to mind the Pine Tree Riot? Until recently, this act of defiance to accepting British authority was one with which I was unfamiliar. In 1722, the New Hampshire General Court passed a law making it illegal to cut down any white pine trees larger than 12 inches in diameter. These trees were […]
January was an exciting launch month for us. We published a smorgasbord of great content from several authors: Todd Andrlik, Rick Britton, Hugh T. Harrington, David Lee Russell, Michael Schellhammer, and Morgan Sumrell. Journal of the American Revolution is a multi-author online magazine so we always welcome new editorial submissions and ideas. Contact us today […]
When we speak of history books normally we refer to non-fiction. But, what of fiction? There is a definite place for novels in our understanding of the Revolutionary War. A good, I stress “good,” historical novel puts flesh on the bones of facts. And, they can be a fun read. They also attract many people […]
“It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space of time with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world.” -British Historian George Otto Trevelyan After firing-off a few ineffectual shots, the Hessian pickets turned tail and bolted south into the small town of […]
Read Part 1 The economic life of the Southern colonists was also most positive as the colonial period continued. Up until the end of French and Indian War, when strict supervision began, the British had allowed the colonists a fair degree of freedom in all their economic endeavors. While the mother country had attempted to […]
Before he became “Bloody Ban,” Banastre Tarleton fought in New York and learned the difficulties of cornering seasoned Continental cavalry. “Surrender you damned rebel, or I’ll blow your brains out!” shouted a British cavalryman who galloped close behind American militia horseman Private John Buckhout, who was certainly having a rough morning on July 2nd, 1779. […]
The American Revolution and the decade of disputes with Great Britain that preceded it marked a major turning point in the development of political thought in the colonies. The new ideologies often reflected where an individual’s political loyalties lay. While much attention has been focused on the political transformation that occurred during this era, little […]
